“Catharsis” is the first single from Soliloquium’s 2018 album “Contemplations”, the second full-length release. I hadn’t heard the song in a long time, so it was quite fun to listen to it a couple of times and dive into the music and lyrical themes. Let’s dive into the train of thought behind the song and have a closer look at the musical influences.
About me – deathdoom.com, music and more
- Stefan Nordström
- Musician, songwriter, content creator, digital freelancer
- Stockholm, Sweden
- Bands: Desolator, Soliloquium, Ending Quest, Ashes of Life, Trees of Daymare, The Ashen Tree
- Social: Facebook | Instagram | YouTube
Listen to “Catharsis”
Listen:
“Catharsis” lyrics and themes
Did you choose to walk away, yet never strayed?
Did you see the pristine, beyond the passing hours?
Did your mind stray to the horizon?
Was it a disorder to dream?
There’s no moment to dwell in, only what lingers ahead
The treacherous footprints of a wanderer’s path
There’s always another flicker in the distance
A promise of something more
Small things, distractions in the periphery
The crippling weight of longing
Insatiable remnant of the past
Eyes to the sun, I offer no reply
The lyrics are about not being in the moment, always striving forward, looking for something else, whatever it may be. I dig some of the phrases:
- “Did you choose to walk away, yet never strayed?” (major decisions to change were made, but the strength wasn’t there)
- “Eyes to the sky, I offer no reply” (I don’t have much to offer other people, my head is in the clouds and in my ambitions)
- “Was it a disorder to dream?” (is the desire for something better, joy and peace just a stupid mirage? Maybe the ambitions are a part of the problem, and not a solution?)
Compared to the previous stuff, I’m definitely getting more poetic and elaborate here. I’m also getting a step closer to being specific, talking about my specific issues and thoughts rather than delivering sad doom metal tropes. The sparseness of the lyrics also gives a less is more feeling.
“Catharsis” musical inspiration
One musical inspiration comes to mind when I hear “Catharsis” today, and I’m sure it was the same in 2018: Finland’s Ghost Brigade. I used to listen to that band on repeat, year in and year out, and I still consider them a favorite. The song-structure of “Catharsis” borrows a lot from their ideas, with the simple structure (intro/verse/chorus/verse/melodic lead(s)/breakdown/chorus).
Listening to it, I gotta say I nailed the song structure. It has a good flow, solid emotion and a nice mix of parts and tempos. I was actually surprised how it held up over time. But let’s stop all this positivity and go full doom metal.
Would I change anything about the song today?
Not everything about “Catharsis” is fine and dandy, however. The “Contemplations” album is my least favorite Soliloquium for several reasons, and most are my own fault. First and foremost, it’s a rushed release without attention to detail. “An Empty Frame” was a very painful album to finish; this time I wanted to get back out there fast.
In retrospect, it wasn’t the best decision. Many of the songs lack layers, interesting small touches and a 100% vocal performance. I’m not too happy about the sound of the B-tuned 7-string guitars either. I wouldn’t change the song-structure, but I would record it with a 6-string guitar and redo all the vocals, at least the clean ones. It would also gain a lot by some more keyboards and vocal layers.
What do you think of “Catharsis”? Does it hold up to the newer Soliloquium material, or does its simplicity even make it better? What song do you want me to analyze next? Please tell me on Instagram or Facebook and I’ll consider it!
I hope you found this “Catharsis” analysis interesting. I’ll try to keep them coming, to offer deeper insight into my music. If you want to support my music and other creative endeavors, buy some music or merch over at the Soliloquium Bandcamp page. Helps a lot!
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